Baking Bread! (2011)

About the Film

The documentary is the result of a project that was initiated to celebrate the 400th anniversary(in 2008) of the foundation of Quebec City by the French; the celebration was marked by a cultural exchange project between the Province of Quebec and New England, and encouraged the exchange of traditional artists on both sides of the common border. Musicians and craftspeople traveled to a number of locations, sharing their skills with local communites in NY, RI, VT and Quebec. Amongst the many talented artists who came from Quebec was woodworker and oven maker Jean Laberge.

Todd DeGarmo, Director of the Center for Folklife, History and Cultural Programs at the Grandall Public Library supported the project and was implemental in organizing the construction of a communal bread oven on the grounds of the Hubbard Hall Projects in Cambridge, NY, soliciting the help of Benjie White, director of Hubbard Hall, and a great supporter of the project.

The Cambridge community rallied volunteers from the area; the result was an event that begged to be documented and shared more widely.

Originally conceived as a "how to build a bread oven" documentary, the piece ended up paying homage not only to Jean Laberge and the construction process, but also to the many people who cheerfully came to volunteer their time to help in the making of this now communal asset: the Cambridge Bread Oven!